This invention relates to an apparatus which forms groups of upright-oriented (that is, edgewise standing), face-to-face arranged flat articles which are introduced into the apparatus flat-lying and individually spaced and which are thereafter conveyed between transfer pushers of a circulating conveyor. The transfer pushers advance the articles in an edgewise orientation to a collecting channel where the articles are gathered in groups. The articles are further advanced in groups by a gathering pusher which takes over conveyance of the articles from the transfer pushers.
Article handling apparatuses of the above-outlined type are known; their structure is often adapted to the particular properties of the articles to be grouped. Thus, for example, in Swiss Pat. No. 532,522 there is disclosed an apparatus in which the articles to be moved are accumulated in a flat-lying position on a supply belt and then the articles are transferred to a rotary conveyor wheel which, in turn, transfers them in an upright position to an output conveyor. Apparatuses of this type are adapted to convey only relatively non-delicate items because they are submitted to significant pressure and frictional effects.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,480 discloses an apparatus in which relatively flat packages are, by means of endless chains having perpendicularly outwardly projecting pushers, advanced in a flat-lying condition to a stacking wheel which, in turn, advances the packages in an edgewise orientation and in a stacked condition to a collecting channel. In this apparatus too, the packages are exposed to friction effects and compressions during their conveyance which, however, have no particular significance there, since the articles are already packed and therefore protected by the wrapper.